A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of alarms or signaling devices and more particularly to the art of vehicle parking assistance devices.
B. Description of the Related Art
The invention of this application is directed to a safety device that is useful in assisting associated vehicle operators in parking their vehicles in closed or confined areas where a build-up of smoke or toxic fumes emanating from an operating vehicle could prove harmful or fatal to the vehicle operator or bystanders and where undirected movement of the vehicle in the course of parking it could result in damage to the vehicle or the surrounding environment.
The use of vehicle parking assistance devices is well known in the prior art and many devices have been developed for this purpose. However, all of the known devices have drawbacks and, therefore, limited application. For instance, some of the prior art devices have complex systems and, thus, are expensive; others lack portability. Some fail to give the accurate position of the vehicle. Such devices use a variety of mechanisms including pressure switches, mirrors, motion sensors, etc.
An additional drawback to parking assistance devices known in the prior art is that they do not afford any warning of the buildup of toxic fumes like carbon monoxide that emanate from vehicles being parked in confined areas. Confined area meaning an area where there is a risk of a buildup of harmful toxic fumes due to a lack of ventilation. Confined areas may include automobile dealerships or garages where vehicles are often parked indoors for display or repair. The risk of toxic vehicle fumes is well known and results in a number of injuries to motorists and bystanders alike every year. Because many of these toxic fumes are odorless, victims of these fumes are often unaware of the danger. The danger of toxic fume poisoning increases when the vehicle is being operated in an enclosed area. Small, enclosed areas are locations where one would use a parking assistance device.
The present invention provides a new and improved portable, parking assistance device and combination carbon monoxide/smoke detector system, and overcomes certain difficulties inherent in the related inventions while providing better overall results.